The Light in the Darkness
by coldnovemberrain
Summary: Nathalie hates the rich and the elite, but is very intrigued when she meets Batman and finds out he knows who she is. But who is he and what does he want with her? Bruce Wayne/OC
1. Part I

**PART I**  
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_No light, no light in your bright blue eyes_

_I never knew daylight could be so violent_

_A revelation in the light of day_

_You can chose what stays and what fades away_

_And I'd do anything to make you stay  
_≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

Nathalie picked up the tray with her right hand, balancing it on her fingers. "Bring those to the great hall," someone ordered. With her free hand she pushed open the massive wooden doors leaden towards an even more massive hall. Nathalie worked at parties and fundraisers like this before, but never had she encountered a house as grand as this one. One might call it a manor, instead of a house.

The hall was filled with guests, waiters and even a harmony was playing on the elevated marble platform in the back of the hall. Soft jazz music was coming from their instruments but it was hard to hear what they were playing over the noise the guests were making.

Nathalie kept to herself as she walked around the place, trying to lose her drinks to the guests. They were never allowed to drink themselves, much to Nat's dismay as she was in desperate need of a drink. Even though she had worked at countless cocktail parties, dinners and fundraisers, she had always hated them. She hated everything about them. The way the people presented themselves, the way they behaved, the way they pretended to do something for charity while in truth it was just so they could show off their wealth. Everything. The only thing she didn't hate was the money she was earning with it. It was a lot more compared to the diner she used to work at, and Nathalie needed all the money she could get.

Luckily the guests were eager to take the elaborate mixed cocktails from her hands, and soon she found her tray to be empty. Nat was glad she could return to the kitchens, as the whole atmosphere of the place was making her uncomfortable.

"Go around with these appetizers," a colleague said while handing her a plate of tiny meatballs which smelled absolutely disgusting. What had happened to the good old cubes of cheese?

Nathalie sighed as she accepted the plate. _Only a few hours, and then I'll be out of here_, she told herself. She smiled politely as someone held the door for her. Even though she couldn't wait to get out of here, she could not let it show. This job was all she had, and she couldn't afford to lose it.

Dodging a large cloud of cigar smoke, Nat decided to go around the other side of the room. She had no idea what the appetizers were called, so she decided not to call it anything. "Interested in an appetizers ma'am?" she asked a tall, blonde woman with enormous breasts. Nat could always recognize the gold diggers and she liked to keep track of how many she could spot in one evening. "Thank you," Blondie smiled, flashing her pearly-white teeth. Another man had spotted the appetizers on her tray as well, and he quickly snatched one away, without speaking a word. Nat ignored it, as the guests were more often rude than polite to her. She didn't take it personal.

"Those things look disgusting." Nathalie turned around, figuring it could only be about the meatballs she was holding. Her gaze fell on a handsome young man. He was wearing a fancy dark grey suit and a soft smile covered his face. He pointed towards her tray.

Nathalie didn't know how to react. This man was obviously a guest to the party, was she supposed to be honest with him or tell hem a blatant lie? The meatballs did look and smell disgusting. "Yeah," she replied a little awkwardly. "They don't look very appealing."

The man took a step forward. "Is Alfred treating you well?"

Nat's eyes widened. _Alfred?_ She never paid any attention to the names of her colleagues as she didn't care for them. _Who was Alfred?_

"My butler? He's British."

Nathalie recoiled at the word butler. She couldn't stand these people and the way they were even too lazy to cook their own food or make their own bed.

"Oh, yes. He's treating me very well." Nat couldn't quite remember if she had actually talked to him, but he didn't have to know that. "I better head back to the kitchen." This was getting more awkward with each second that passed and even though her plate was still half-full, she needed to get out of this situation. Before the man could say anything further she disappeared in the crowd, not bothering to balance the plate neatly on her fingers.

"Only come back with a clean plate, Nathalie. How often did I tell you that?" Nat placed the plate on the marble counter in the kitchen. Chefs were hurrying past her, probably preparing another interesting smelling appetizer.

"No one would take them," Nat replied to her boss.

"They do look disgusting, don't they?" Amelia laughed, taking the plate from the counter. "I saw you talking to the host of this party just now. Did he have anything to say?"

Nathalie sneakily took a slice of cucumber from a plate and popped it into her mouth. "Who?" she asked, as she was never able to tell who threw such lavish parties for basically nothing. Anyone in the room would have the funds to throw one, but perhaps not in such a manor as this one.

"Mr. Wayne! Dark hair, tall?" Amelia spoke.

"Bruce Wayne is the host?" Nat asked, swallowing the cucumber. That would explain the manor.

"You didn't know?! You better not have said something rude to him."

"I didn't, okay?" Nathalie said, grabbing a plate with glasses of champagne. She had no idea she had been talking to Bruce Wayne. She knew he was pretty much the prince of Gotham, but she never had cared much about the elite and their lifestyle. Of course she didn't recognize him, and besides in suits all men look the same.

"You really need to pay more attention to who you are talking to. Mr. Wayne is our biggest client..."

"Okay, okay, I will!" Nat said quickly, making a mental note never to speak to anyone while on the job ever again.

* * *

It seemed to take forever for the guests to leave the manor. After the party was over they always had to clean up the place. Fetching all the glasses together, rinsing them and throwing out all of the uneaten appetizers. Nat always liked this part of the evening the best as everyone was too tired to speak another word so she could clean up the place in peace and quiet.

Surprisingly the guests hadn't made much of a mess, which was a welcome change. You would think these people had a too big of an ego not to get drunk, but you'd be amazed by the amount of dirty bathrooms Nat had to clean up. Sometimes she felt like she was waiting on a group of teenagers instead of well established businessmen and their wives and lovers.

"Thank you for the amazing service, Amelia."

Nat picked up another glass which had ended up on the floor and turned her head to see Bruce Wayne talk to her boss. She rolled her eyes and focused on the cleaning again. She couldn't stand the way he buttered her up, as Amelia was definitely going to fall for his tricks. He was a handsome man after all, Nat wasn't going to deny it.

It took another hour for them to clean up the manor. She hadn't seen Bruce Wayne after he had spoken to Amelia, and she wondered where he was off to. Mostly the hosts of the party wanted to make sure their mansions would be cleaned up perfectly, but not him.

Nathalie overheard two of her colleagues talking about the Batman. It got her attention and she sneaked closer to them, pretending to dust off an exotic looking cabinet.

"I heard he has superpowers!"

"Nah, I heard he's trained by the cops themselves, and they are now pretending to go after him."

Their comments made her smirk, as she was sure neither of their statements were true. Nathalie hadn't seen the Batman in personal, only on the news channels who featured him daily. There was a bit of a dilemma going on with the Batman. He fought crime while the police went after him for doing so. Nat herself was glad he was around, as she knew justice would be served to those who deserved it. She was a hard worker herself, and she hated seeing the mob getting rich by doing nothing. But thanks to the Batman, the mob has been on the run and now even the Narrows was a much safer place.

Amelia did a full tour of the manor to check they hadn't left anything behind and signed something with Alfred. Nathalie was extremely glad she could finally go home and sleep, as she would have the next few days off. In her spare time she worked on a small column in the local paper. Readers sent in letters to which she would provide a solution. _'My husband cheated on me, what should I do?_' was a common one. Nat didn't mind writing mindless answers such as: _'Leave him and make sure he'll pay for what he did!_' She didn't care about her readers at all, but doing this might help her to become a real journalist. It was something she had always dreamed of.

"You are free to go!" Amelia announced after Alfred the butler had disappeared on top of the large marble stairs that lead up to the second and third floor.

Nat let out a sigh of relief and walked over to her colleague Steven, as he was going to give her a lift home. Taking a cab all the way from the manor back to the Narrows would be expensive, so she was very grateful for the lift.

"You ready?" she asked Steven with a soft smile, swinging her bag with her belongings over her shoulder. The company had a strict dress code for the waiters, so to be sure she always brought an extra pair of pants and a clean shirt with her.

"Yes, let's go."

The stately garden in front of the manor had been cleared of the expensive sports cars and limousines, leaving only the cheap cars of the personnel working that evening behind. Nathalie remembered Steven had a red Peugot, which looked like it had seen better days, so she easily spotted it among the other cars.

"Maybe we'll spot the Batman on our way home," Steven joked, unlocking the car. He slid inside and made sure Nat could open the door on her side.

"Yes, maybe," Nathalie replied doubtful. She always wanted to encounter the Batman. She was very curious to find out who was the man behind the mask, but maybe that was also the part that made him so intriguing.

The engine of the car made a unsettling sound before it fired up, but Nat paid no mind to it. The sooner she got out of here, the better.

"I can't believe we got to serve at one of Bruce Wayne's parties!" Steven exclaimed. Turning the steering wheel to drive off the driveway.

Nathalie looked at the manor in the rearview mirror. She had to admit it did look stunning. The large facade was beautifully lit and smoke was coming from one of the many chimneys. "I didn't even know it was his party until I spoke to him," Nat admitted.

"You spoke to him? To Bruce Wayne himself?" Steven sounded surprised.

"Yeah... Is that bad?" Nat knew hosts rarely spoke to their employees.

"Don't know really. What did he say to you?"

"Something about the appetizers being disgusting," Nathalie remembered.

"Really?" Steven spoke while turning his car towards the highway. Nathalie could already spot the skyline of Gotham's business district, with Wayne Tower in the middle. How appropriate.

"Yes. I wouldn't lie to you, Steven. He really said that," Nathalie grinned. Everyone was seemed to be impressed with Bruce Wayne, except for her.

"He seems like a nice guy." Steven fixed his eyes on the road. This late at night there was hardly any traffic.

"He has a butler," Nat stated. The guy was living in a large manor all by himself. A bit egoistical if you asked her.

"So? Every rich family has a butler. It's nothing strange."

"I find it strange," Nat replied. "And he doesn't need that house all for himself."

"The world is unfair, Nat. Get used to it."

There was truth in the words he spoke, yet she didn't want to admit it. She longed for a world were everything was balanced and fair. That was exactly why she believed in the Batman. He could set an example and maybe with his help Gotham could be balanced.

* * *

"Thanks for the ride, I really appreciate it," Nathalie smiled as she popped her head through the car window to thank Steven once more.

"No problem at all. Sorry for not being able to drive you all the way home."

"I can walk from here. It's only two blocks away."

Steven flashed her a smile. "See you at work."

"Yeah, see ya." Nat waved as he drove away, leaving her alone.

When she told him she would be fine to walk back to her apartment alone, she was lying a little bit. It was a lot later than she had anticipated and you never know who was hanging around on the street in the Narrows. The Batman definitely changed some things, as there weren't as many thugs around nowadays, but the occasional freak who should belong in Arkham could still be lurking around the corner.

She clutched the straps of her bags tightly as she started to make her way down the block. The street was badly lit, but Nat didn't see anyone walking on her side of the road, which made her a little more at ease. She didn't carry a weapon as she didn't had any experiences with them and they could be used against her.

In the distance she could already see her building and she was counting the steps until she would reach her destination. The streets were virtually empty, with only the occasional car whizzing past.

_500 feet_, Nat guessed while she quickened her pace. _490, 480_.

"You shouldn't be out alone at this time at night."

The voice had made her jump and shriek. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself from screaming and drawing more attention to herself. The voice she heard sounded grizzly and dark. It was a voice she never thought she'd ever hear.

There he was in front of her, standing in an alley completely covered in the dark. She hadn't heard him approaching, which made her doubt if he maybe did have superpowers.

"It's only another 480 feet to my apartment," Nat explained, her voice slightly trembling upon the sight of the Batman.

He looked even more impressive in real life than on the television. He towered over her. His cape floated behind him in the wind and his cowl was shaped perfectly to hide his identity, only showing his eyes and mouth. His golden belt was equipped with all kinds of little things, Nat had no idea what they were for.

"It's more like 520 feet," Batman responded.

Nat raised her eyebrows and looked at her apartment building again. Did the 50 feet really make a difference?

"520 feet, then," she replied, shifting her gaze back to him.

The Batman remained silent.

"You came all this way to the Narrows to tell me it's 520 feet to my apartment instead of 480?" Nathalie surprised herself with her attitude, but she couldn't help but feeling suspicious. What would the Batman want with her? Shouldn't he be out fighting crime? Nat could not remember doing anything illegal lately, except maybe downloading music, but she doubted the Batman cared about music piracy.

"A lot can happen in 520 feet," he responded. His voice send shivers down her spine as she never heard anyone talking like that before.

Yes, a lot could happen in 520 feet. She could get hit by a car, she could by raped, she could be murdered, but thinking about all that would drive her insane. "I'll take my chances," she replied.

"Don't do anything reckless, Nathalie."

And without further ado, the Batman was gone. Nat frowned as she remained standing. She was speechless. How did that Batman know her name? For the last couple of months she had been dying to meet him and she was fairly sure she hadn't met him before. This night was getting stranger and stranger.

* * *

Nat woke up with a strange feeling in her stomach. Last night had seemed so surreal. She had never ever imagined she would ever meet the Batman, not ever. And the fact he knew her name was even stranger than the fact he had come to her.

Her thoughts had kept her awake last night, as she couldn't come to grips with the situation. Had she met the Batman before, and was that where he had learned her name? Was she registered in some secret database for criminals? Nathalie couldn't think of one possible explanation for him knowing her name. No one knew who the Batman was.

To make sure she would be able to get through the day, Nathalie made a cup of coffee for herself. Normally she liked tea better, but after the night she had she definitely needed something to wake her up.

While waiting for her coffee to cool down she opened her laptop. Her MacBook was her most priced possession and she had worked endless shifts at the diner to get it. Her inbox was full with letters the citizens of Gotham had sent her for her column. She clicked on a random e-mail and opened it, wondering what the problem could be this time.

_Dear Nikita,_

_Lately I have noticed my husband spends his time after work at the local bar. In the past he would come straight home after work, could it be that he is cheating on me?_

_Love your columns, Sally_

Nat sighed and clicked the e-mail away. It seemed as if every housewife in Gotham was only concerned about if their husband were cheating on them. What had happened to trusting your significant others?

At first Nathalie didn't like her column name 'Nikita', but the newspapers had told her it was to protect her own safety and after a while she saw the importance of an alias. Nat enjoyed the anonymity and the fact when she walking down the street no one knew she might have answered (or clicked away) one of their letters filled with their problems. It almost made her feel a little like Batman. No one knew his identity and no one knew Nikita's.

She carefully took a sip from her coffee to make sure it had cooled down and she wouldn't burn her mouth. Mindlessly, she opened another e-mail.

_Hello Nikita,_

_Last month I sent my boyfriend nude pictures of myself and now I want to break up with him, but he is threatening to put the pictures on the internet if I do. What should I do?_

_Anonymous_

Nat groaned and shut her laptop closed. She wasn't in the mood for this. Quickly she finished her coffee and changed into a more decent outfit than her pajamas.

During the day the Narrows was a lot less scary than at night. All the crazy junkies had disappeared and there were police cars patrolling the area. Nathalie had been living here for the past few months after she moved from here from Arizona.

"Good morning!" someone greeted her happily. Nat returned a smile and continued walking down the block. At the end of the street there was a lovely park where she'd like to come and escape of her thoughts. She loved to watch the children playing.

She had moved here from Arizona to have a better change at landing a writing job in New York. It had been a live long dream of her and writing the column in Gotham gave her something to put on her resume. She had also been working on a novel, but so far she had been too busy with work to really be able to work on it.

"Hello, Mrs. Adams," Nat smiled. Her neighbor from a few down was sitting on her favorite bench in the park.

"Oh hello, dear!"

Mrs. Adams was one of the few sane people living in the Narrows and Nathalie had always wondered why she hadn't left this place, but she never dared to ask.

"You look lovely today," she continued. "Are you seeing someone special today?"

"Oh no," Nat blushed. Mrs. Adams always questioned her about her love life, which was pretty much non-existent. She didn't had time for a boyfriend. Maybe in New York, once she was settled down.

"Are you sure?" Mrs. Adams tried again, a twinkle in her eye.

"Yes, I am sure."

Nathalie sat down next to Mrs. Adams. It was a beautiful day today, she couldn't have chosen a more perfect day off. Children were playing soccer and in the back of the park she spotted a young couple having a picnic. Flowers were blooming all around her, giving of a lovely scent that reminded her of spring. If you ignored the apartment blocks in the background, you would almost forget you were in the Narrows.

"Something on your mind, dear?"

It wasn't until then Nathalie realized she was staring at the couple in the back. She shifted her gaze to Mrs. Adams and smiled softly. "Can I ask you something?" she said. Normally it was her giving out advice to others, but right now she could use a little advice of her own.

"Of course!" Mrs. Adams replied.

"Have you ever seen somebody, but you don't know their name or who they are and you really want to meet them again?"

Who was she kidding? She was so intrigued by the Batman, she wanted to see him again.

"That's tricky. What you could do is go back to the place where you saw that person. Perhaps he will be there!"

Nat cocked her head to the left. That was a fairly good idea. She could go back to the alley where the Batman had suddenly appeared and disappeared. Maybe he would return to her, as she had a million questions to ask him.

"That could work," Nat replied. "I doubt he'll be there, but I can try can I?"

"So you _are_ seeing someone special today!"

Nat smiled. The only thing she could do was hope she might meet someone special today.

* * *

"What are you doing here?"

Once again she hadn't heard him approach. Nathalie swirled around to face the Batman. He had appeared behind her in the same alley as the night before. Because of his black armor he was almost camouflaged by the darkness.

Nat gasped when she laid her eyes on him. She had waited for him since the sun had set, hoping she could see him again. She hadn't expect him to show, because why would he?

"I have a question," Nat stumbled.

Batman didn't reply. He moved out of the darkness into the light of the streetlight. Nat had never really noticed how detailed his armor was.

"How do you know my name?" she asked him.

"I know more than you think," Batman responded in his grizzled voice.

Nathalie ruffled her brows. What was that supposed to mean? She didn't know anything about the Batman, no one did. What Nat would give to find out about his real identity.

Nat crossed her arms in front of her chest. It was a lot colder at night than she had expected. "Like what?" she asked again.

"Your background," Batman stated.

Goosebumps covered her skin. Nat wasn't sure if it was because of the cold or because she was amazed and scared at the same time. What did he know about her background? How could he know?

"Why?" She took a step closer. "Why would you want to know anything about me?"

"There is more to you than you know, Nathalie."

It still felt surreal to hear him speak her name. She let his words sink in, but she wasn't sure what they meant. She wasn't special, not at all. There are far more people in Gotham who were more interesting than her, especially for someone like the Batman. She had no value to him, no skill sets that could be useful. But clearly he was more interested in her than Nat had anticipated. But why?

"Can I see you again?" Nathalie blurted out before Batman was able to leave without a warning. She still had a million questions and she was dying to get to know him better, as apparently he already knew everything about her.

"No. It is not safe for you at night."

Her heart skipped a beat. "I can take care of myself."

"Not in this neighborhood. Do not do anything reckless, Nathalie." And then he disappeared again into the night.

* * *

The following days Nathalie was hardly able to concentrate herself on her writing. It was as if Batman had casted a spell upon her which she couldn't break. He haunted her mind, making it spin occasionally. What did he know about her past?

Nathalie had spent each and every evening and part of the night in the very same alley where she had met him before, but all the nights he had never shown himself. Each and every night she returned to her apartment wondering if she would ever see him again.

It wasn't fair of him to show up twice, claiming he knew about her past and then to disappear again.

Nat was about to turn off the television to go to bed after standing in the alley all night when a news flash caught her attention.

"The Batman is seen heading down the highway followed closely by the police," the newsreader said while the channel showed them a clip of Batman on what looked like sort of an interesting looking bike, chased down by more than ten police cars.

Her heart started to beat faster when she saw him riding down the highway, dodging the cars in front of him. That explained why he didn't show up tonight in the alley. She wondered what he had done now for the police to be chasing after him. You would think the cops would be happy with someone doing a better job than them in fighting crime, but apparently not.

Nat sat down on the couch, following the Batman closely on the television. It was strange to think this was the same man as the one who told her he knew a lot about her a few days ago. She had never imagined a vigilante might hold an interest in her.

All of a sudden the police cars stopped and the camera was darting across the highway. It seemed as if they had lost the Batman. Nat wondered how he could disappear so all of a sudden.

"It seems as if the Batman has escaped," the newsreader confirmed, while she continued to talk about some statistics about the Batman. Nat sighed and turned off the television, ready to go to bed.

* * *

Nat had to work another cocktail party the following evening. It meant she had to skip a night of waiting for Batman in the alley, much to her dismay. She'd rather wait by herself in the cold for Batman to reappear, than to wait on those ignorant rich bastards for a few hours. She recalled Steven's words: "Life isn't fair."

This client had hired a fancy restaurant in the business district as a location for his cocktail party. Nathalie didn't even know who was throwing the party, as long as it wasn't Bruce Wayne. Seeing him would result in a very awkward situation.

Her train passed by Wayne Tower and she couldn't help but to glance up. The sun reflected in the windows of the immensely tall building, blinding her a little. Wayne's father had built up the empire, and now Bruce only had to hire other people to run it for him. Nat rolled her eyes and looked away.

Luckily for her, the cocktail party only lasted a few hours and Amelia had told her to leave early, as she told Nat she looked very tired. "Must be coming down with a cold," Nathalie had replied, as she didn't want to tell her boss she had been hanging around the street a few nights in a row, waiting on the Batman. Nat doubted her boss would even believe her if she told her she had talked to the Batman. As far as anyone knew, he only talked to the criminals he would hand to the police.

The fact that she got to leave the restaurant early meant she could go wait in the alley once again.

She waited at the beginning alley for an hour, when she began to realize this was useless. He was never going to show again. Why was she so naïve to think he would really come to see her again? Still, something in her didn't want to give up. She wanted answers, she _needed_ answers.

"Don't do anything reckless, Nathalie" the Batman had told her. If that was what it took for him to show up again, she was going to do something reckless. She had ran out of other option to make him show up, this was the only chance she had.

This was completely out of character, and never in her right mind would she do anything so stupid, but the Batman had ignited a fire she couldn't put out. She was _desperate_ to meet him again.

Nathalie fastened her pace as she felt her heart pounding in her chest. This could horribly wrong, so she needed to keep it together. If the Batman wouldn't show up tonight, she would be in for a lot of trouble. _Why am I doing this again?_ Nat asked herself, as she approached the group of men.

She had seen them standing outside her apartment block a dozen times, and they weren't scared to hide the obvious: they were dealing drugs. The group consisted of about five males, all around her age. It didn't take her long to catch their attention, as they turned around to face her when she wasn't even near to them.

_Act cool, Nat. Don't fuck this up._ She lifted her head, trying to come across as confident as possible, even though her confidence was about to shatter when the eyes of the men fell on her body.

She gave them a nod as she came to stand before them. She knew they were never going to sell her drugs, and that was all part of the plan. Nathalie had never done drugs in her life, but this plan was the only one she could think of in the spur of the moment.

"What you want, baby?" one the men asked her. His tone made her recoil but she didn't show anything.

"Got something for me?" Nat asked them. She didn't even know what kind of drugs they were selling, so she had to bluff her way through it.

"I got lots for you," another guy stepped forward. He wore a black and blue cap, which was covered by his hoodie. Nathalie placed her hands on her hips.

"I got money," she tried again. "Just give me what you have, man."

"You give us the money, I'll give you something sweet, okay?"

Nat looked around her on the street, but apart from them there was no one around. If Batman wasn't going to show up right now, this could end badly.

"Don't you trust me?" Nat said, her hands still resting on her hips.

"My father always told me not to trust women, they'll stab you in the back when they got the chance," another spoke.

"Come on, man. I'm desperate, just give me something." Nat didn't know if this was the way to buy drugs.

"If she wants something, give her something." The man with the cap stepped forward. He got uncomfortably close to her and she could smell the weed in his breath. Nat raised her head a little higher, she wasn't going to give in.

"You want something, honey?"

Nathalie's eyes widened when the man extended his arm towards her. _This is it, _she thought. _Who was I kidding?_

She closed her eyes, there was no way she was going to take on five men all by herself. Undoubtedly they were carrying weapons, while the only thing she was carrying was a purse which didn't even have money in it for the drugs she was going to buy. _What was I thinking?_ She kept repeating.

But the sounds of fists colliding made her open her eyes again. She didn't even see what had happened but all the men were laying down in front of her, beaten to a pulp. A rough hand grabbed her arm and dragged her away from the group of thugs. She got dragged along fast, she didn't even had a chance to come to grips with what was happening.

"What were you thinking?" the Batman asked her angrily.

He placed her in front of him and let go of her arm. Nathalie rubbed her hand against her forehead, trying to think. "You came…" she muttered in disbelief. Against all odds, her plan had worked.

"What were you doing out there?" the Batman repeated.

"I was looking for you!" Nathalie replied, trying to catch her breath. She looked behind her and saw the thugs getting up, running away from them as quick as they could. They wanted to get away from the Batman as fast as possible.

"This could've ended very badly for you, Nathalie," his voice sounded stern.

"But it didn't."

"Because I was here. I can't be here for you every time you get yourself in trouble."

"Then you should've come earlier! I've stood in that alley for days after days. You can't just show up in my life, claiming you know _stuff_ about me and then disappearing again." She pointed to the alley across the street.

"I was coming back for you," Batman replied.

"When? After a week, a month?" Nathalie fired back.

Batman remained silent. Nat crossed her arms in front of her chest and took in a deep breath. "What do you want from me?" she tried again.

"You are a great example, Nathalie."

"Example?" she failed to understand.

Batman took a step forward, casting a large shadow over her. Everyone in Gotham was afraid of the Batman, but not her. Nathalie was quite the opposite, she wanted to be closer to him. There was a real person behind the mask, someone who you could get to know, and that was something Nathalie wanted. Who was the person behind the cape and cowl? Who was the person willing to sacrifice himself for justice?

"You started with nothing and are willing to work hard to get want you want. Not all people can do that."

"When you start out the way I did, you don't have much of a choice," Nat said, figuring Batman knew what she was talking about.

"You should head home, Nathalie," Batman ordered.

"You think I can manage that all by myself without getting into trouble?" Nat joked.

"You're a strong person. Just don't buy drugs again."

"I won't, believe me," Nathalie replied. The drugs was only a way to get Batman's attention, and it seemed to have worked. Never would she ever do drugs, it would ruin everything she had ever worked for. "Can I see you again?"

"Maybe," the Batman replied.

"I need a real answer, yes or no." Nat shook her head. She had to know if she was able to see him again. She didn't want to live towards something that was never going to happen. "You still have to answer a lot of questions."

Batman stared past her into the distance, before taking a step back. "Yes," he simply stated. A gust of wind passed by and the Batman was gone again.

* * *

"What's up with you and your hatred for rich people," Steven asked. He was seated on her couch, playing with the remote of the television, taking the batteries out and placing them back in again.

"I just hate their lifestyle," Nat replied, taking the teabag out of her cup, throwing it in the trash. The soft scent of cinnamon filled the room, making her wish it was fall. "The way they pretend to care about charity, but when the reality is they really don't."

"But you have to admit, Bruce Wayne's old man did some good for the city."

Nathalie sat down next to him, holding the cup of tea in her hands. "Yeah, that's true. Can't say the same over Bruce Wayne, though."

Steven chuckled and shook his head. "Your hatred is admirable."

Nat shrugged and took a careful sip of her tea. "You been up to anything lately?" Steven asked her.

The only thing Nathalie had been up to was thinking about the Batman every second of the day, but she could hardly tell him that. Instead she quickly thought of a lie. "Not really, I'm working on a novel."

"Really?" Steven replied, surprised. "I did not know that? What's it about?"

"Just… stuff," Nat replied, not really wanting to talk about it. She didn't like to show people the unfinished product, as right now, her novel was far from perfect.

"Stuff?" Steven asked with a smirk.

"Yeah, stuff. You'll see when it's finished," Nathalie said, desperate to drop the subject.

Steven put the batteries back in the remote and turned on the television. He switched to the news channel. "Let's see what Batman is up to again," he said with a smile.

Nathalie shifted her gaze from her cup of tea to the television, but to her surprise, the news reader was telling them about the economic climate, and not Batman's recent antics.

"Guess he's taken a day off," Steven concluded disappointedly. He changed the channel and a game show appeared on the screen.

"Guess so," Nat mumbled. She wondered what Batman was doing, if he wasn't out there fighting crime while being chased by the police. Sometimes she had to remind herself that the Batman was also human.

* * *

Nathalie was getting ready to go to bed when she heard the knock on her window. Startled, she turned around. As she lived in the seventh floor, there was no way somebody could've climbed up. Was she just tired? Was she hearing things because of it? Scared, yet intrigued, Nat slowly moved towards the window, squeezing her eyes together so she could see better in the dark. Once she got closer she noticed a shape standing on her balcony. Her heartbeat crept up as the shape also took a step forward. Through the reflection of the light inside she could just make out who was standing on her balcony.

Her mouth fell open and as quick as she could she opened the door. "Can I come in?" Batman asked her.

Lost for words, Nathalie nodded. She was surprised Batman actually fitted through her door, as large as he was, but here he was, standing in her kitchen. "To what do I owe the visit?" she asked a bit nervously. Because her apartment was brightly lit she saw Batman out of the darkness for the first time. Only now she noticed how beautiful his eyes were.

"You're up late," he said with his usually dark voice.

"Yeah, I had a friend over," Nat replied, wondering where this was going.

"I know, I saw him leaving the building."

Was he checking up on her? Nat crossed her arms in front of her chest. How often did Batman pay visits to people inside their houses, exposed by the light?

"You shouldn't be here," Nathalie started. "What if someone sees you?"

"No one will, trust me."

And somehow she did trust him, and it confused her.

"I want you to come with me," he continued, taking a step forward. He extended his arm and offered her his hand.

Without thinking, Nathalie replied: "Okay," and accepted his hand. His hand grabbed hers tightly, but he didn't hurt her. "Where are we going?"

"Away. This place is not safe for you tonight."

Normally, Nathalie would never go somewhere with a stranger, but for some reason she didn't think of Batman as a stranger. His presence was oddly soothing. It was a feeling she had never felt before.

She didn't dare to ask why her apartment block wasn't safe for her. A lot of awful shit happened in the Narrows and she wanted to be as oblivious to it as she could.

He lead her out on the balcony, into the darkness. The coldness from outside stung on her skin, and she wished she had a coat. But Batman paid no mind to her and continued to lead her to the edge of the balcony. Nathalie looked behind her at her empty apartment, wondering if everything would still be there when she'd returned. If she ever returned. She had no idea where Batman was taking her.

"Close your eyes," Batman ordered. Nathalie did so as she clutched his hand more tightly. She had trouble keeping her balance with her eyes closed. "Keep them closed."

Even though the urge to open them was big, Nathalie kept them closed. Batman released her hand and she felt them under her arms as he picked her up. Suddenly the wind picked up and it was soaring around her. She had no idea what was happening around her, she had to take a look.

Nathalie opened her eyes and found herself flying through the air, wrapped tightly in Batman's arms. Her heartbeat crept up and she gasped. Were they flying? She couldn't see clearly. The apartment blocks that dominated the Narrows faded past. There was no way she could see where she was going, but it didn't matter anymore. Wherever she was going to be, she was going to be safe from whatever was going to happen tonight.

They gracefully landed on the ground. Batman made sure she was standing when he let her go and ordered her to follow him, without further explanation. Nathalie looked around and found they were still in the Narrows. They were about four blocks away from her apartment, she concluded. She wrapped her arms around herself as she followed Batman to keep herself warm. They continued into an alley that hardly looked safe, but she knew Batman was here to protect them.

"Wait here," he said once they came to a halt. Nathalie nodded and watched Batman disappearing into the darkness, the shadows concealing his every move. For a moment she was scared he had left her behind, but soon enough the sound of an engine firing up filled the alley.

Nathalie hadn't even seen there was a car parked in the alley, it was as well camouflaged as Batman was. There was no way you could've known it was there.

She took a step forward. The headlights of the car lit up the whole alley, blinding Nat for a moment. "You can get in now," Batman said.

Nathalie waited until her eyes were adjusted to the light to look up and to her surprise she didn't see a car in front of her. It was something more. The vehicle Batman drove looked like a mix between a Lamborghini and a tank. It's sharp edges made it look menacing and she couldn't even imagine what kind of power the vehicles possessed. Nat took another look at the car, not sure how she was supposed to get in as she couldn't located any doors. This was definitely not your average car. "How do I get in?" she breathed.

Batman responded by pushing a button, and the whole roof of the vehicle moved around, creating a large opening for her to climb in. She gasped at the sight and wondered where he could get a vehicle like this.

"Place your foot on the wheel and pull yourself up," Batman explained. She listened carefully to his instructions before she placed her foot on the wheel. The vehicle itself was huge, the wheels were so high they reached her thighs. After making sure her foot was placed steadily, she reached out her hand and pulled herself up on the roof. Once she was seated, she slid through the space that allowed her to enter the vehicle. Cautiously she slipped on the seat next to Batman, scared she would damage anything. She would've never guessed this vehicle would have a passenger's seat, but here she was, seated next to the Batman in his very own vehicle that could probably crush anything.

Batman said nothing as the vehicle accelerated and they drove away. Nathalie didn't dare to ask any questions. She remained very still, looking out the window and occasionally glanced at the Batman. He had his eyes focused on the road, dodging everything that came in its path. They whizzed past cars, buildings, going way past the speed limit. Everything was a blur and Nat had no idea where exactly they were going.

The urban landscape changed into rural landscape. Nat had spent so much time in the city working that she didn't even know what beautiful countryside surrounded Gotham. The vehicle accelerated and they went even faster and after a short drive further down the path leading deeper into the forest, the vehicle came to a halt.

"Hold on tight," Batman spoke. The vehicle shot forward into a small lake. Nathalie could just spot a waterfall ahead of her. It seemed as if they were going for the waterfall. Scared they were going to hit something, Nat closed her eyes, but when she opened them again they were standing still again.

Nathalie pushed herself up in the seat. By the looks if it, they went through the waterfall and they had entered a very large cave. She gasped when she saw how enormous it was, it seemed to go one for forever. In the middle of the cave some sort of high-tech computer had been set up. "Where are we," she asked him, taking in every detail of the cave. She spotted bats flying around, heading for the opening at the end of the cave. _How appropriate,_ Nat thought.

"Safe," Batman replied. He pushed a button which opened up the roof of the vehicle. He climbed out first before giving Nathalie his hand so she could climb out more easily.

The cave smelled damp and the coldness of it hit her skin, giving her goose bumps. Outside of the vehicle she could take an even better look of the cave. She noticed how there was an elevator in the corner and she couldn't help but wondering where it would lead to.

"Safe from what?" Nat tried again. Why would he take her all the way out her if it wasn't very serious? She had the right to know why the only home she had wasn't safe.

"Bad people," Batman replied, making his way over to the middle of the cave where a very high-tech looking computer was set up. Nathalie wrapped her arms around herself and followed him.

"Can you elaborate?"

Batman turned around, facing her, causing Nathalie to almost bump into him. "Something is happening tonight in your apartment. A potential danger to Gotham. I couldn't let you be there while it happened."

Nathalie took in a deep breath. She figured it was something like that. The Narrows had always been a criminal hideout. "Are you going back?" she asked.

"I have to," Batman replied. "I can't let Gotham fall into the wrong hands." He turned around again and booted up the computer. The immense screens revealed a map. Nathalie recognized it as the map of her apartment building. Several spots where marked and camera footage of the area were opening on other screens.

"Just be careful, okay?" Nat surprised herself. How was it possible that she cared about a person whose name she didn't even know? But it was his generosity inspired her. Batman was willing to sacrifice himself for an entire city, what better quality could a man have?

Batman turned his head and nodded, indicating he had heard her. Nat moved closer to him, letting her eyes scan the elaborate computer. She had never seen anything like this and she wondered if he might have received it from the military, maybe even NASA. There was no way you could buy something like this in the store.

"Has anyone ever been here. Except for me and you?" There were so many questions she'd like to ask. What was this place? Who were at her apartment building? What was going to happen to her? Will she ever be safe again? Who was the Batman? Who was she starting to care about? Who was she falling in love with?

Nat was scared about caring too much for the Batman. She had never been truly in love, but she was starting to develop feelings for him she had never had before. To her it seemed as if the Batman had absolutely no flaws. He wasn't like the people she worked for. He wasn't like the rich men she waited on and who treated her like a piece of dirt. The Batman was exactly the opposite.

"Yes," he replied, still busy typing away on the computer. Occasionally new images popped up. "Only one."

Nathalie nodded and looked around once more. The cave was mesmerizing and she understood why he liked this as his retreat. It was secluded, but extremely big. Perfect, for someone like the Batman.

All of a sudden the computer shut down. "I have to go," Batman said while turning his body towards hers, looking her in the eye. "You have to stay here. You'll be safe."

"Can I ask you one more thing?" Nathalie asked quickly, before he was able to leave without warning like he had done before. "What do you know about my past?"

"I know you are an orphan. Your parents were killed. I know you came out stronger, always striving for something better, something bigger. That is exactly why you are an example of great strength, Nathalie. There aren't many people who would've dealt with the situation the way you did."

It was still hard hearing someone confirm she was an orphan. Nathalie liked to forget she had lost her parents. She liked to remember them, liked to think they were still there watching her from the heavens. They were watching over her at all times and know she also had Batman watching over her. It was almost as if they had sent him to her, in case they couldn't be there.

Then she did the unexpected. She moved her head closer to his, pressing her lips on his. To her surprise, Batman kissed her back. Nat had to stand on her tiptoes as he towered over her. Normally she would never kiss a stranger, but an exception for the Batman had to be made. She didn't technically know his name, but since he knew everything about her background, he was hardly a stranger, wasn't he?

Nathalie broke off the kiss. She closed her eyes. "Come back to me," she whispered.

"I will," Batman confirmed, before he turned around, his cape floating behind him in the wind.

* * *

She guessed Batman had been away for an hour when she heard the elevator rumble. She shifted her gaze from the bats flying around the cave to the elevator. Anxiously she stood up from the chair which was standing in front of the computer. Batman had assured her she was safe here, but what if she wasn't? By the looks if, there was definitely someone in the elevator and it wasn't long before a man came down with the elevator.

"Who are you?" Nathalie called out, clenching her fists. Her heart started to beat faster.

"Who the hell are you?" the man replied.

Nathalie didn't recognize him until he stepped into the light. She had seen this man before. She had worked for him. He was a butler. He was the butler of _Bruce Wayne_.

* * *

**AN:** Thank you so much for reading the first part of this story! I've been wanting to write a story like this for a long time now and I finally found the time to write it. For now, I have no idea how many parts its going to be, but a Part II is definitly coming! Please leave a review, I love reading them and they are really motivating to write even faster. Thank you again and I'll see you for Part II!


	2. Part II

**PART II  
**

_Take me down to the river_

_Underneath the blooded sun_

_Say my name like a scripture_

_Keep my heart beating like a drum_

There had to be a mistake. This could not possibly be true. Nathalie didn't want to believe it, but she had to believe what she was seeing. Here she was, standing in Batman's cave with Alfred, Bruce Wayne's butler, the butler she had seen at his party.

She clenched her fists and took in a deep breath, trying not to faint. "Aren't you that girl working for Amelia?" Alfred tried, cocking his head slightly.

Nathalie exhaled and nodded yes. "Bruce Wayne is Batman?" she had to have confirmation. Maybe this wasn't true after all and Alfred was just here by coincidence.

"You didn't know?" Alfred replied, taking a step forward.

Nathalie wanted to speak, but she couldn't speak a single word. Thoughts ran through her mind, confusing her. How could she possibly have been falling in love with a man she hated. She hated everything about the rich and elite, yet Bruce Wayne proved to be different. How could she have been so wrong?

Alfred nodded. "Of course you didn't."

Nathalie stumbled backwards and let herself fall into the chair she had been sitting in before. "Bruce Wayne is Batman," she mumbled to herself. "Bruce Wayne is… Batman."

Alfred took a step towards Nathalie. "But what are you doing here?"

"Batman…, I mean Bruce, he saved me," Nathalie said, running her fingers through her hair.

"Saved you from what?"

"I don't even know," she replied. His name went through her mind a hundred times, and still she couldn't believe how she had not seen this. Her mind drifted back to the party he had hosted, and how much she despised him back then. It was the same night when she had first met her beloved Batman. How had she not seen the connection? Bruce had spoken to her at the party, and obviously Nathalie had held his interest, causing him to give her a visit that same night.

She gasped, causing Alfred to raise his eyebrows, suddenly she knew why he had been interested in her. Batman was an orphan, and so was Nathalie.

* * *

Her stomach was tied in knots when she heard his vehicle approach. Nervously she watched it burst through the waterfall, into the cave. Several bats started to fly around manically, as if they were mirroring her feelings. She didn't know what to think. How was she going to tell him she knows who he is? Will the fact that he is Bruce Wayne change her feelings?

The vehicle came to a halt in the water. The roof opened up and Bruce swiftly climbed out. Within seconds he stood before her. "You are safe to go home," he spoke.

Nathalie was glad to hear she could return home. Before she had been very curious to find out why exactly it was not safe, but learning his identity changed her priorities. "I know who you are, Bruce."

His eyes widened upon hearing her voice. "How?" he simply stated. His voice was hard to read and Nathalie didn't know what to think. Did he mind she knew who he was?

"Your butler came down, that was when I knew," Nat explained, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She suddenly felt very uncomfortable around him.

Bruce nodded and took a step back, turning his back towards her. "Nobody can know, Nathalie."

"I understand that," Nat replied. She wasn't stupid, she knew the Batman-identity was to protect himself and the people around him. It was the same as with her name used for her column.

"When can I go home?" Nathalie asked carefully. She had been in the cave for a long time and she was desperate for a cup of tea and a warm bath.

"Alfred will take you," Bruce replied, wandering off to the computers.

Nathalie took in a breath. She had hoped Bruce would take her. His coldness surprised her, it was as if he didn't want her to know who he was. But how did he expect this to work if Nathalie didn't even know who she was in love with? Sooner or later she had to learn about his identity. "Bruce?" she spoke. "Does this change things?"

"Change what?"

"Us?"

Bruce turned around, and took of his cowl. It was only now when Nathalie realized how incredibly handsome he was. "The elevator leads to the house," he spoke in his normal voice while nodding towards the immensely large iron elevator.

Nat frowned. Was this really how it was going to end? She could swear there was something more going on between them. This newfound hostility confused her, what had changed?

"I guess I'll see you?" Nat tried one last time.

"Yeah," Bruce mumbled.

* * *

Nathalie recognized the large hall of the manor when she stepped out of the elevator. She could even recall the exact spot where she and Bruce had talked, back when she didn't now about him being Batman. It was still strange to her, but sometimes life has a way of surprising you in a way you didn't know was possible.

"Alfred?" she called out, her boots tapping on the marble floor as she walked to the other end. The manor seemed hauntingly empty without all the guests and servants. It was hard to imagine Bruce lived here all by himself.

It wasn't long before Alfred appeared in the kitchens. "I see you two have finished talking," he spoke in his British accent. "I shall take you home now." A soft smile covered his lips.

Nathalie nodded and followed him out into the gardens. She turned around to see if she could spot the cave from the front of the manor, but the entrance was well hidden behind it.

They crossed a path to the garage. Nathalie didn't own a car herself, but Bruce seemed to own many, and they all looked very expensive too. Both of them came from such different worlds, yet they were so alike.

Alfred opened the door for her, which seemed to being opening in an odd way, but he assured her this was normal for a Rolls Royce. Nathalie wouldn't know, as she had never even seen a car like this in real life, only from pictures on the internet.

"Where can I take you?" Alfred asked, turning his head to look at her. Nathalie found it strange to be seated on the backseat instead of the front next to Alfred. But then again this might be normal as well.

"The Narrows," she replied with a faint smile, hoping they wouldn't get robbed driving with this car in that neighborhood. But Alfred nodded without asking any further questions and started the car, pushing a button to open the garage door.

Nathalie pushed herself further in her seat, watching the manor grow smaller and smaller as they drove towards Gotham. Who would've thought this night would end like this?

"Can I ask you something, Alfred?" Nat asked out of nowhere. She shifted her gaze from the road to the butler in the front seat.

"Of course," Alfred replied.

Nathalie took in a breath. "Will I ever see him again?"

It took a few seconds before Alfred replied. "I believe so. Master Wayne holds an interest in you. He doesn't let go of his interests easily." Normally the word 'master' would made her recoil, but after learning the truth about Batman she thought different of it.

"He reacted so distant and bitter when I told him I knew who he was," Nathalie continued. "Why?"

"Might be you have spooked him. I was the only one who knew who he was."

Nathalie nodded and hoped it was the truth. If she was developing feelings for the Batman it meant she was developing feelings for Bruce Wayne as well. She wanted to get to know him better. Finally she had met someone she could relate to.

"He is an orphan as well, isn't he?" Nathalie asked. She wasn't living in Gotham at the time of his parents' death, but she remembered reading about it in the newspaper a few years later.

"Indeed he is," Alfred replied.

Nathalie looked out of the window and noticed they were entering the Narrows, passing by the alley where she first had met the Batman. Was getting in trouble the only way of ever speaking to him again? Nat hoped it wouldn't have to come to that, but she wasn't ready yet to give up on him.

"It's right there," Nathalie said, pointed towards her apartment building. The sun was starting to come up and it was only now she realized how tired she was.

Alfred stopped the car right in front of the building. The street was deadly quiet and there were signs of struggle everywhere. Fallen over trashcans, broken windows and she even spotted a little puddle of blood. "Was he sure it was okay for me to go back in?" Nat asked to be sure.

"Yes it is, sweetheart. Go ahead, nothing will happen. Master Wayne has made sure of that." Trusting both Alfred and Bruce, she got out of the car, forgetting the door opens the other way, causing Alfred to chuckle. "I hope to see you soon, Miss."

"Yeah," Nat nodded. She was hoping the same thing.

* * *

The inside of the apartment was wrecked. A neighbor was picking up pieces of trash, telling Nat the police had been informed and they were on their way. Nathalie made her way up to her apartment, but they had left her apartment alone. Only her window was still open from when her and Batman made their way down.

Watching the open window was strange. She went out there not knowing who the Batman was and came back in knowing his identity. She wanted to talk to someone about it, ask their advice. What would you do if someone you cared for was someone you despised at first and was the Batman? He was hardly boyfriend material, or was he?

Nat took in a breath and let herself fall on the couch, ready to fall asleep.

* * *

The following days were quiet. The police came by to question what happened, but Nathalie couldn't be of much help as she wasn't there that night. She told the police the truth of her whearabouts, although she doubted they believed she was at Bruce Wayne's manor. A neighbor spoke of the Batman, which caught her attention, but he wasn't sure if he had seen him correctly. The way they treated the Batman as a criminal angered her. Nathalie wanted to show them all how they were trying to convict the one person who was doing the right thing. He was pratically out there doing the police's job for them. He was doing good things for Gotham, but no one was around to notice.

Her phone kept quiet. She had expected him to at least call her, but the only time her phone rang, it was her boss asking her if she could pick up a shift. The only thing for her left to do was hoping Alfred was right, and he wouldn't give up on her. Nathalie didn't want to get herself in trouble again to get his attention. The first time she did that went well, but only because Bruce had been watching her, what if he wasn't watching her now?

After a few days of waiting, she had to go back to reality. Her jobs were waiting on her and she had to focus on her dream, her writing dream.

Her inbox was full with e-mails she didn't want to answer, but at least they could keep her busy. The first five were just regular ones, the same old same old. Accompanied with a cup of tea she worked her way through all of them. It was getting pretty late when she opened the last one. She readied herself for another quick answer, only to be surprised this letter wasn't the same as all the other ones. She gasped when she read it.

* * *

It was raining heavily when she went outside. She had quickly thrown on a jacket, not realizing it wasn't waterproof, but she didn't had the time to change it for something else. "Taxi!" she yelled as she ran across the street. The car stopped with screeching tires and as quick as she could she jumped in.

"Where to, Miss," the driver asked, putting his hand over the carseat, looking over his shoulder.

"Wayne Manor, and could you please hurry?" she asked, trying to calm herself down.

"Wayne Manor? Sure, honey" the driver laughed. "No, seriously. Where can I take you?"

"I _am_ serious, take me there as quick as you can!" She was starting to panic now. There was no time to loose. The letter she received was serious, it was unlike anything she had ever read. The police was no option, they wouldn't take her seriously, but Bruce would.

The driver raised an eyebrow as he probably still did not believe her. "Go!" Nathalie urged once more.

"Okay, okay," the driver said, revving the engine loudly.

If it was up to Nathalie, they would've gone way past the speed limit, but luckily for the both of them, she wasn't behind the wheel. The urban landscape quickly faded into a woodland. Nat kept looking at her watch, keeping track of how much time was passing. She realized she had no money on her to pay the driver, but she figured Alfred could take care of that.

There was still a chance Bruce would be away, roaming the city as Batman. But Nathalie would find a way to get a hold of him, she _had_ to.

Once the stately manor was in sight, Nat immediately jumped out of the car, running through the rain trying to get inside as fast as she could.

"Hey!" the driver yelled after her. "You still need to pay me!"

"Alfred will take care of it," Nat shouted back, rushing up the steps, clutching her bag tightly.

"Who the hell is Alfred?"

She knocked loudly on the door as she couldn't locate a doorbell. Soon enough Alfred opened.

"Alfred," she breathed. "I need to see Bruce, right now."

"I'm afraid he's busy," Alfred tried to explain, but Nat wasn't going to take no for an answer and she slipped passed him.

"This can't wait. Where is he?" She looked around the hallway, no idea where all the doors lead to.

"He's in the library," Alfred gave in. "Past that door."

Nathalie nodded and made her way over to the door. Before opening she turned around, "Oh, if you could pay off that driver, I would really appreciate it."

* * *

Without thinking she burst through the door. She looked around to see if this was the library but she quicky spotted Bruce sitting in the middle of the room. He turned around, his eyes widening upon seeing Nathalie.

"Nathalie?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"

Nathalie didn't speak but she ripped open her purse, retrieving a piece of crumbled paper. "Read this," she said, handing him the letter. "I received this two days ago."

Bruce's eyes scanning over the letter. "Who is it from?" he asked.

Nathalie shrugged. "No idea, but it looks serious."

"You should go to the cops with this," Bruce handed her the letter back.

"They won't do anything, Bruce. I'm not sure if this is for real, but if it is, who knows what could happen?"

Nathalie read the letter again. She had read it over and over until she rememebered every line, but it still managed to scare her everytime her eyes fell on it.

_Nikita, or should I say, __ Nathalie,_

_Quite a man you managed to snatch up. What would the news say if they knew your little affair the Batman, the most wanted man in Gotham? Please tell your boyfriend to meet me on the 27__th__ at the docks, he'll find me. If not, I will blow up a school, maybe two. _

The letter wasn't signed, which scared Nathalie. Someone had been watching her, spying on her every move. No one but herself and her bosses knew about her writing pseodonym and apart from Bruce and Alfred, no one knew about their relationship. But this letter proved someone _did_ know about all of that.

"He knows my writing name, Bruce. No one knows that," she tried convincing him one last time.

Bruce stood up and walked over to Nathalie. He was wearing normal clothes instead of his Batman armor or his suit and she had to admit, he was quite muscular. Her heart fluttered when he came closer.

"I'll look into it," Bruce said, grabbing the letter again.

"You will look into it, or Batman will look into it?"

"Both," he nodded. As he was about to disappear in the doorway, he turned around. "You can spend the night here if you want. Plenty of bedrooms to spare."

"I'd appreciate that," Nathalie said with a smile. Getting this letter made her feel unsafe in her neighborhood, plus the fact that she was being watched did not really help as well. She could stay here until she felt comfortable enough to go back home, until Bruce had dealt with the problem. "I'll get my stuff from my apartment."

"No," Bruce interferred. "I don't want you going back there, not until I have figured out what this letter means."

Nathalie felt relieved by his remark. It meant that he did still care about her, just like the Batman had done. She felt like once she knew his identity, his feelings for her were lost, but it was good to see they hadn't faded away.

* * *

Alfred let her choose a bedroom, however there were so many she just chose the first one she came across. It was probably as large as her apartment, luxurily decorated with decorations coming from exotic countries. The bed was huge and she was wondering how she was going to climb inside of it.

"Will this suit you?" Alfred asked when he came in to bring her some fresh towels.

"Yes, of course," Nathalie smiled, feeling like she checked in to a five-star hotel. "It's perfect."

Alfred gave her a smile. "I understand you don't have any stuff with you?"

Nathalie nodded.

"Then I hope you are fine with sleeping in some of Master's Wayne shirts?"

Nathalie tried not to blush while she spoke, "Yes, that would be fine."

"Great! Dinner is served in an hour, I hope you have brought your appitite."

* * *

Alfred wasn't kidding when he told her to bring her appetite. With her five-star hotel bedroom came a five-star banquet. He had prepared several plates of gorgeous looking food, ranging from sweet potatoes to steaks, filling the room with the smell of Christmas. Nathalie couldn't remember the last time she had a homecooked meal, as she mainly lived on noodles and pasta. He poured them all a glass wine and told her Bruce would accompany them shortly.

Nathalie had already filled up her plate when Bruce came into the dining room. "I found something," he said, placing a piece of paper in front of her.

"Not during dinner, Bruce," Alfred objected, but Bruce pretened he didn't hear him.

Nathalie put her fork down and picked up the paper. It turned out to be some kind of police record. The photo in the top corner showed a mugshot of a man. His face was darkened by the light, but he looked pretty normal. There was nothing special about him. "Is this the one?" Nathalie asked, looking up to Bruce who was standing besides her.

"I believe so," Bruce nodded. "He's called Remini, and if your letter is not a hoax, I have to meet him. This guy could be a threath to Gotham."

"Lovely, but all that can wait after dinner," Alfred said once more.

Bruce playfully raised his eyebrows and sat down on a chair opposite from her. There probably was no point in arguing with Alfred. Nathalie picked up her fork again, taking a bite of the salad Alfred had prepared.

She didn't dare to bring the subject back up again, so she decided to ask him more about this so-called Remini guy after dinner. "This tastes amazing, Alfred," she complimented.

"Thank you, Nathalie. I'm glad there is finally someone who appreciates my cooking and doesn't spends all of his time in a cave." He looked to Bruce, who shrugged and continued to put a bite of food in his mouth. Nathalie chuckled and did the same.

"So, Nathalie. What do you do besides working at a catering company? A _good_ catering company – I must add," Alfred asked.

"I'm a writer," she replied, quickly swallowing her food so she could speak. "One day I hope to work in New York."

"Ah, interesting," Alfred smiled.

Nathalie enjoyed answering all of Alfred's questions, figuring they did not have visitors over often, unless it was for some extravagant cocktail party. She occasionally glanced at Bruce, finding he was looking at her. He didn't ask any questions, but she knew he was listening to every word she said.

"Well, I'll leave you two to your _letter_ business," Alfred smiled after everyone was finished eating. He continued by telling he'd clean this up later. Nathalie thanked him again for the lovely dinner, Alfred reassuring her it was no problem and she could come back as often as she liked.

Bruce waited until Alfred left the dining room before he spoke. "I'm going out to meet this guy, find out what he wants," he started. "I've found out a lot of things about him, and he is serious. A lot of connections with the Italian mafia, drug deals, murders, you name it. I have to meet him."

"What would he want with Batman?" Nathalie asked.

"My guess is the Batman is standing in the way of something he wants to accomplish."

Nathalie nodded. It made sense. Batman was the only threat to the mob and druglords, as the police were all too scared to do something about them.

"Just be careful when you go out there, okay?"

"I'm not scared of him," Bruce replied.

"Maybe you should," Nathalie defended. "This guy sounds unpredictable. Who knows what he has in store for you."

"In that case, I will be careful" Bruce said with a soft smile playing on his lips. "Come on, let's go to the living room, I'll get a fire going." He stood up and waited for Nathalie to do the same. She followed him into another grand room, decorated with the same amount of luxury as her bedroom. Nat wondered how many rooms the manor had, as it seemed to go on for forever.

"It's a beautiful house," Nat said, looking around, taking in every little detail of the room.

"It's been in the family for decades," Bruce replied. "I spent more time in the cave than in the manor, though."

Nathalie chuckled. "Alfred seems to be quite annoyed by that." She followed Bruce's lead and sat down on the couch next to him. He had already got a fire going, its bright flames lighting and warming the room.

"Yeah, well, he still hasn't grown accustomed to only caring for me instead of my family," he replied.

Nathalie had to ask him about his parents. She had never met anyone in her life to whom she could talk about this subject. No one understood her, not even her foster parents, whom she loved dearly. "Do you remember them, your parents?" Nat asked carefully.

"Yes," Bruce nodded. "I do my best not to forget the little details about them, but it's getting harder. You?"

"Not really," she replied honestly. "They died when I was only two years old, the only memories I have are the ones I made up from the pictures I've seen of them."

"That must be hard."

Nat started to feel more comfortable around Bruce. She was still beating herself up over the fact she had been so wrong about him. But then again, who would've ever thought she would find comfort in someone like Bruce Wayne?

"I think it made it easier for me," she said. "I can hardly mourn them if I practically didn't know them."

Bruce nodded.

"I read your father did great things for the city, like the monorail?"

"Yeah, he did. He almost bankrupted Wayne Enterprises by doing so."

"At least it almost went bankrupt for a good cause," Nathalie laughed.

"Yeah, that's true," he smiled back.

Nathalie looked at her watch, realizing the dinner had taken longer than expected. "I guess I'm going back to my room, it's getting late."

Bruce nodded. "I can walk you back?"

Nathalie raised up from the couch. "No, I can make it back."

"You sure?" Bruce smirked. "It's a big house."

He had a point. The manor had so many rooms, doors and hallway she had no idea which one led back to her bedroom. "Okay, you have a point."

Bruce led her through the door first. "I'll put the fire out later."

"Yeah you better, we wouldn't want this manor to burn down. At least not while I'm here," Nathalie replied smiling, noticing how much more comfortable they had gotten around each other.

The way back was indeed pretty complicated. They went back through the dining room, to the hall, up the stairs and then it was only a matter for Nathalie to remember which room she had picked. "I believe it's this one," she said, popping her head through the door to make sure if it really was her bedroom. "Yup, it's the one," she replied upon seeing the curtains she remembered liking so much.

"You picked a good room," Bruce remarked. "It's bigger than mine."

"It was the first one I came across," Nat replied, her back against the closed door.

A soft smile formed on Bruce's lips and Nat had to give in to her feelings. When she found out Batman was Bruce Wayne, she wanted to get out of this. She wanted to deny her feelings, but she couldn't. "Can I ask you something?" she asked, a mischievous smile covering her face.

"That depends," Bruce replied.

"Can you do the same thing you did before you took off to fight whoever was at my apartment block?"

"What did I do?" He leaned forward, resting his hands next to her on the door. "This?" he said before their lips touched again, only this time Nathalie knew who she was kissing. She wrapped her arms around his neck while she deepened the kiss. After a moment, Bruce pulled back. "You know, I never slept in this bedroom before," he whispered, keeping his head close to hers.

Nathalie raised her eyebrows. "We could do something about that," she smiled, placing another kiss on his lips while Bruce opened the door behind her with his free hand, supporting her with his other so she wouldn't fall.

* * *

"You forgot to put out the fire," Nathalie said when she felt his fingers stroking her arm, indicating he had woken up. She had her head on his chest.

"The house didn't burn down," Bruce replied softly.

Nathalie pushed herself upwards to give him a kiss. "What will Alfred say when he sees us like this?"

"He'd probably be happy, seeing as he's always playing matchmaker."

"Really?" Nathalie laughed, envisioning Alfred trying to get Bruce a girlfriend or wife. "Bruce, I have to admit something."

"Should I be scared?" Bruce asked, still stroking her arm.

"No," Nathalie said, tracing a scar on his stomach with her fingers. It was one of many he had, which worried her a little, yet it was also pretty sexy. "When I met you back at the party you threw, I kind of hated you."

"You kind of let that show," Bruce laughed.

"Sorry," Nat apologized. "I just hated everything about your lifestyle and how you all behaved and acted. But then I met the Batman and he was everything that I valued in life. Generosity, strength, willpower. But then Alfred revealed you, and I have to admit you have proven me wrong. I was too quick in judging you."

"I'm glad I could change your mind," Bruce said.

"Me too," Nathalie nodded. Getting to know Bruce showed she had been wrong. It showed she shouldn't have judged him so quickly. She promised herself not to ever do that again. Who knew, maybe more rich people were vigilantes in their spare time?

* * *

Bruce had left to find out more about the mobster Ramini, leaving Nathalie behind in the bedroom. Feeling rather hungry, she pulled on one of his shirts and sweatpants and slipped out of the room. She tried to remember where the kitchen was, walking around the manor twice before finding it.

"Good morning," Alfred greeted. He was seated in one of the large chairs at the end of the kitchen which overlooked the garden, enjoying a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

"Morning," Nathalie replied with a smile.

"There is more coffee in the pot."

Nathalie nodded, grabbing the first mug she could find.

"You know," Alfred continued. "This is the first time in months Bruce has slept through the whole night."

Nathalie turned to face Alfred, blushing slightly. So he definitely knew they had spent the night together. "I'm glad to help," she replied.

"If you stay over more often, maybe he can get a decent sleeping pattern."

Nathalie wanted to stay over more often. She had enjoyed her evening with Bruce a lot, more than she had imagined. The mysterious letter she had received had brought them more closer. Maybe she ought to thank that Ramini guy, if it wasn't for him, she and Bruce would maybe not even be in contact.

She was happy to see how much Alfred cared about Bruce. He had told her he had worked here his entire life, taking care of Bruce since he was a baby. Nathalie wished she had had someone in her life who she was so close to. Yes, she loved her foster parents, but they never quite understood what she had been going through, as they weren't there from the beginning. Alfred had been here the whole time, so he must have understood what Bruce was going through perfectly.

* * *

Bruce had driven her to he apartment personally. He asked her if she wanted to stay at the manor until the mob threat was over. Nathalie obviously agreed, as it was a win win situation. She could spend more time with Bruce and she did not endanger her life by living in her apartment.

"What if he sees us?" Nathalie asked, trying to locate her keys in her purse. Bruce had parked his car in an ally. Nathalie could only hope the vehicle would still be there when they would be back, but he had insisted only his Lamborghini had enough gas to make it to the Narrows.

"He won't," Bruce reassured her, placing his hand on the small of her back as they walked to the building.

Everything was very quiet and no one was in sight. Secretly, Nathalie would like to see the reaction of her neighbors if they would see her in here with Bruce Wayne. Her apartment was left untouched, indicating no one had been there. She quickly grabbed a large bag, throwing in clothing and toiletries.

"Need this?" Bruce said, holding up her laptop.

Nathalie smiled and placed it in her bag as well. "I guess that's it." She took a good look around her apartment again, but she was sure she had everything she needed.

"Good, let's get out of here," Bruce replied, opening the door for her.

The car was still there, which was a surprise. She wondered why all the cars he owned had doors that did not open normally, as the Lamborghini's doors opened upwards. Bruce chuckled when he saw her struggling with the door. "You'll get used to it," he assured her.

"Highly doubt it," Nat replied, wondering how she was going to close the damn door once she was seated. What had happened to doors that opened normally?

"How did you know I was an orphan, anyway?" Nathalie started once they were out of the Narrows and into downtown Gotham. "I never told anyone."

"I do background checks on everyone I hire," Bruce replied, turning the steering wheel to make a turn towards Wayne Tower.

Nathalie raised her eyebrows, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Do you always do that?"

"Yeah," Bruce nodded. "I have to know who I am letting in my home. Can't have someone robbing the place."

"Someone did that?" Nathalie replied, surprised. Even though she never liked the people she worked for, she wouldn't dare stealing from a client.

"Oh yeah." Bruce parked his car in front of the building, ignoring all the stares of people walking by. "I'll be right back," he said. "Wait here."

"Wait," Nathalie said before Bruce was able to turn away. "What if Ramini sees us together? He'll know you're the Batman."

"He won't see us," Bruce said. "I made sure of that."

He gave her a wink, telling her it was okay before heading up the stairs inside Wayne Tower. Nathalie felt slightly awkward, waiting in such an expensive car in the middle of the street. She wasn't used to the stares, as she had led a pretty anonymous life, but now she was here with Bruce Wayne, everyone was wondering who she was. When she spotted a photographer standing on the street, taking photos of her inside the car, she quickly pushed herself further in her seat, keeping her head low. She made a mental note to bring a cap or a hoodie next time she went out in public with him.

Luckily it wasn't long before he returned, carrying a suitcase in his hand. The people on the street followed him closely to the car, but he didn't seem to be phased by it. "Thank god you're back, it was getting awkward," Nathalie sighed, taking over the suitcase and placing it on her lap as there was little space in the Lamborghini.

"Scared of a few photographers?" Bruce laughed.

"If I had known they were going to take photos of me, I would have put on more make-up and wore decent clothing," Nat said, looking at the photographer disappearing in the rearview mirror.

"You look beautiful, Nathalie. Just ignore them. And besides, the windows are modified so you can't take a picture of what or who's behind it."

Nathalie blushed, flattered by his comment. She had seen him in the tabloids so often, always a pretty model on his arm. She wondered how the hell she could compete with that.

"What's in the suitcase?" she asked, letting her hand brush over the smooth leather.

"Something I need for Ramini," Bruce replied. "There's something in there for you as well. To protect yourself."

"I'm going to be safe in the manor, right?"

"Yeah, but just to be sure."

* * *

Bruce opened the suitcase, revealing an interesting looking custom made gun. He ignored the gun and took out the weapon meant for her. Carefully he handed it to her. "It's a taser," he explained. "Press this button and it will put them out for at least an hour."

"It won't kill them?" Nathalie said, letting her eyes scan the device.

"No," Bruce shook his head. "It won't."

"Okay," Nathalie nodded, feeling slightly more comfortable with the weapon knowing she couldn't kill anyone with it. She had never owned a gun or weapon before.

"I have to prepare for Ramini," he said, closing the suitcase to take it with him.

Nathalie placed the taser on marble kitchen counter. "When will you be back?" she asked, hoping she did not have to spent the whole night alone.

"As soon as possible."

"Be careful, okay?" She couldn't have said it too many times. She didn't want him to underestimate the mob, as Nathalie herself didn't. The guy spied on her without her or Bruce noticing, who knew what he was capable of?

Bruce nodded, cupping her face with his hand. He leaned forward, kissing her.

* * *

Nathalie waited for Bruce to return in the main reception room. Alfred had turned on the television, as things could escalate and be shown on the news. But the whole time, the news kept quiet. It was only talking about Wayne Enterprises going public, the holidays that were coming up, and the weather. Nothing about the Batman. This was a good sign, at least, Nathalie hoped.

Alfred had told her to go to sleep, telling her Bruce could be gone for the whole night, but Nathalie had insisted staying up. He had brought her a blanket and hot cocoa, which made her smile. She figured Alfred was quite happy to have someone to take care of and she had to admit, even though a butler was against all her principles at first, it was nice to have someone to take care of you. Especially after living alone for so long.

The cocoa hadn't kept her awake and soon she found herself falling asleep. Deciding it was no use to fight it and try to stay awake, she closed her eyes, listening to the news until she fell asleep.

* * *

"Nathalie." His whispering voice woke her up.

Slowly she let her eyes adjust to the light, wondering how long she had been asleep for. "How did it go?" she answered once she clearly saw Bruce standing in front of her. He wasn't wearing his Batman armor anymore. "Are you hurt?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm fine. But we do have a problem?"

"What is it?" Nathalie replied, realizing he said 'we' and not 'I'.

"He wants me to bring you to meet him next time."

Nathalie's heart skipped a beat. "What?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Ramini, the most dangerous mobster and man in Gotham next to the Batman, wanted to see her? Why would he want that?

Bruce nodded. "He wants to see you otherwise he'll do something to Gotham. He didn't specify what."

Nathalie took in a deep breath. "Why? What would he want with me?"

"I don't know," Bruce admitted. "But I'm going to make sure nothing will happen to you."

"When are we supposed to meet him?"

"Tonight."

* * *

"Shouldn't you sleep?" Nathalie asked Bruce. They had spent their whole day in the cave, preparing for the meeting.

"I'll sleep when I'm dead," Bruce replied, placing a bulletproof vest over her head. It was a lot thinner than the ones she always saw on the television, but he assured her it was just as effective. The vest was hardly noticeable with a sweater over it.

Nathalie couldn't figure out what Remini wanted with her. He was a mobster, she was just an orphan girl with no credits to her name, what could she possibly offer him?

"You ready?" Batman asked her. It had been a while since she had seen him in his Batman armor and it still impressed her. Normally Bruce towered over her, but something about the armor made him seem even bigger than he already was.

"Yes," Nathalie nodded, not sure if she ever was going to be ready.

* * *

Batman and Remini had agreed to meet at the docks. Nathalie herself would've chosen a public place, to ensure her safety, but she trusted Bruce wouldn't let anything happen to her.

He pulled up the vehicle next to Remini's limousine and pressed the button so the roof opened up. With his help, Nathalie climbed out, wrapping her coat around her as there was a strong, icy wind.

"You're early," Remini remarked, stepping into the light.

Nathalie wiped her hair out of her face to get a better look at the guy. He was in his late 40s, wore a pin-striped suit and looked just like your average mobster. In the back she spotted two huge guys, carrying machineguns, probably his backup. The guns didn't bother her, as she knew her vest would prevent her from getting shot.

"Let's see her," he continued, stepping forward while extending his hand, motioning for Nathalie to come to him.

She stayed behind Batman, not sure if she was to listen to his orders. "What do you want with her?" Batman growled.

"First let me see her, then we'll talk about what I want."

Batman hesitated. Nathalie placed her arm on his, nodding it was alright. She held her breath as she passed Batman, getting closer to the mobster with each step. Batman followed her closely.

"Just as beautiful as my guy said," he remarked, taking another step forward when Nathalie failed to do so, as she wanted to keep some distance between them. "I can see why he has taken a liken in you."

"You've seen her. Tell us your plan."

"It's pretty simple, actually," Remini started. "You convince your girlfriend to give up who you are, and she lives. Convince her not to tell Gotham who you are, she dies."

Nathalie couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. They were blackmailing her? Her eyes widened and instinctively she took a step back, bumping into Batman who was still standing behind her.

"Why?" she managed to stutter. "What do you want with him?"

"We want the Batman to disappear. He's destroying everything we built. It's time for him to retire and if he won't… you now know the consequences."

"He can retire without you knowing who he is," Nathalie tried again.

"Where's the fun in that? Besides, we have to know who he is to make sure he won't put on that suit again."

"You're out of your mind," Batman said.

"You have until Friday to think about it," Remini said while lighting up a cigar. "What will it be? The end of Batman? Or the end of your lovely lady?"

* * *

"I won't do it," Nathalie said stubbornly.

Bruce had taken off his cowl. "You have to."

The whole drive back they had been quiet, both thinking about what they were going to do. For Nathalie it was simple. She wasn't going to give up Bruce, not ever. They were going to fight this guy, even if it meant death for her.

"This isn't up for discussion," she said, pulling her sweater over her head as she desperately wanted to take the vest off. "I can't just hand you over to them. They'll kill you even if I tell them who Batman is."

"And now they're going to kill you."

"They could be bluffing," Nathalie tried.

"These guys never bluff," Bruce said, cupping her head. "I can't let you get killed. Not to protect my identity."

"Gotham needs Batman, Bruce. The city will continue to fall if you're not there to protect it. What is one life against millions?"

"I can't ask you to do this."

"And you don't have to."

* * *

Nathalie couldn't wait to get to bed and sleep, pretending this threat on her life was just a dream, a joke. For just a few hours, she wanted to ignore the reality.

Alfred had come to see her, probably on Bruce's orders, but even he couldn't talk her out of her decision. If she was going to go, what would be a more heroic way than to die for Gotham? She was never going to give up Bruce and Batman. The Batman was everything she believed in. He was the one who could restore the balance in Gotham. She was willing to die for that. How proud would her parents be, knowing she sacrificed herself for the good of an entire city?

Bruce had assured her he wouldn't let her die, even if it meant protecting her for the rest of her life. "We could get out of here," he told her. "Go to Venice, Hong Kong, you can pick any place you want." But Nathalie had refused, stating that in that way Batman still had to leave the city.

Her decision was made, and she was standing by it.

"I'm going back out there," Bruce said, kneeling down to the bed so he could face her. "See what more I can find out about this guy."

Nathalie nodded, realizing he was never going to let this go down without a fight.

"I won't let him kill you, Nathalie. I promise." He leaned forward, kissing her. Nathalie kissed him back, whishing he would come to bed with her. Alfred had told her he was often away during the nights, but she had never realized he was away _that_ often.

"Come back to me before the night is over," she whispered, giving him one final kiss.

"I will."

* * *

Bruce had kept his promise. It was just an hour before the sun would come up when she felt his body pressing against hers, his hand sliding over her waist, holding her close. "Did you find what you were looking for?" Nathalie asked half-asleep, pushing her body against his as the heat was a welcome change on her cold skin.

"We'll talk about it in the morning," he whispered.

* * *

They had one day until they had to meet Remini again, which gave them only limited amount of time to prepare. Bruce had asked Alfred to bring their breakfast to the cave, where they had been planning all morning.

So far, the only thing they had agreed on was they were not going down with a fight.

"What we're going to do," Bruce started. "we're pretending you'll tell him about me. Give him a fake name, just to keep him busy."

"And then? Kill him?" Nat said. "Isn't that against your rules?" Bruce had told her about the no killing rule. She thought the idea behind it was great, but sometimes death could not be avoided, especially in cases like this.

"No, we'll have to lock him up, take his computer and look for evidence."

"And let him go if we do not find anything?" Nathalie replied. "He'll just come after us."

"We'll have to scare him."

"_You_, have to scare him. Don't think he'll be very afraid of me."

Bruce chuckled.

"What is Plan B?" she asked.

"I do not have a Plan B yet."

"But we won't need it, right?" Nathalie asked. "This will work?"

"It will," Bruce replied determined and Nat was glad there was someone believing in their plan.

* * *

The deal was supposed to go down at the same place as before, the docks. There was something eerie about the place at night, especially since it was foggy outside. Bruce had given her even more protection than before and she could only hope Remini wouldn't notice.

She had said goodbye to Alfred just in case, thanking him for everything he had done to her. He was assured Nathalie would return, but she could not make that promise. This deal could go either way, her ending up dead, or Remini ending up in their custody. Bruce hadn't said goodbye to her, optimistic they would make it out of there in one piece. Nathalie could only wish she shared his optimistic views.

"Made up your mind?" Remini asked once they approached him. Nat felt so clumsy next to Batman, who seemed to practically float besides her, not making any sound as he walked.

"I did," Nat said, looking at Batman. "I'll tell you."

Remini laughed and clapped his hands together. "Perfect! Come with me," he ordered.

"I'd rather do it here," Nathalie replied. She felt more safe with Batman watching her back, she didn't want to go somewhere with Remini.

"Just come with me inside the car, darling. We can discuss it in private."

"I'm saying it here or I'm not saying it at all," she said, standing her ground.

"Feisty," Remini remarked. "You better keep your girlfriend in check." He nodded towards Batman, who didn't move at his comment. "Have it your way! Say the name, and we'll let you go, provided the Batman will never return to this city."

"He can't return once you know his name," Nathalie said, looking at Batman to see if everything was alright. He gave her a slight nod, indicating she could continue.

Nat took a step forward, facing Remini. "His name is Grant Heckler."

"Who?" Remini exclaimed. "Who the fuck is that?"

"Who did you expect?" Nathalie said. "Did you really think Batman was a well-known citizen of Gotham?"

"My empire has been crumbling because of some guy called Grant Heckler?" He turned towards Batman. "Is your name really Heckler?"

"Yes," Batman confirmed. "She is speaking the truth."

"Check it," the mobster shouted towards his henchmen in the back, who immediately climbed inside the car upon hearing his command, checking the name. "This will only take a couple of minutes."

This was the time to strike. Only Ramini was standing before them, his accomplishes all disappeared inside the limousine. But Batman already acted before Nathalie could even say something. He lunched forward, smacking Ramini down, taking his gun away in the process and throwing it behind him. "You think you can blackmail me without consequences?" Batman spat. "I'm not Grant Heckler. You'll never know who I am." He twisted the mobster's arm on his back, making him cringe.

"You better stop, right now!" he shouted. "I own Gotham! You can't stop us!"

That caught the attention of his accomplices. They appeared from the car, their machine guns ready to fire. Without thinking, Nathalie grabbed the gun in front of her, keeping Ramini under shot while Batman went off the fight the henchmen. The gun felt slightly awkward in her hand, but she knew what to do in case something happened. She even checked if the safety was off.

"Don't do this, honey," Ramini said, motioning for her to put the gun down.

Batman had taken down the henchmen with ease. He even send one of them running. As he turned to take over Ramini, he began to speak: "What are you going to do, huh?"

Nathalie cocked her head slightly to the left, thinking about all the things she could do to him.

"You think killing me will bring your dead parents back?"

"What?" Nathalie gasped. "How do you know about my parents?!" She didn't see this coming. The topic was still difficult for her, and the only one she had really been able to talk to was Bruce. The mobster had caught her completely off guard.

"We spied on you. We know everything about you."

"Nathalie," Batman said in the back. "What are you doing?"

Nathalie ignored him, not able to control herself. She took slow steps forward, the gun raised to Remini's forehead. But the guy just wouldn't shut up.

"What would your parents think if they saw you here, with that guy." He pointed towards Batman. "They wouldn't be very proud would they?"

His comments weren't helping. Nathalie felt the anger in her rising. She had worked hard all her life to ensure her parents would be proud of her, she lived by it. His remarks were a slap in the face, a slap she could not have right now. "Shut up," she growled, her gun still aimed high.

"Nathalie," Batman tried once more, but again Nathalie pretended he wasn't there, having only eyes for Remini.

"It's true! They wouldn't be proud of you, seeing as you have become a –"

That was the last straw. Her mind was spinning, her vision went blurry and without thinking she pulled the trigger. The blast of the shot echoed through the shipyard. Ramini fell down before her.

"Nathalie!" Batman ran towards her, pulling her away from the dead body.

* * *

**AN: **Thank you The Mortal Knight, Bronzelove, highlander348 and a guest for the reviews. I love reading them and please don't stop! Thank you for reading the second part of this story. Stay tuned for Part III which will hopefully be up soon! Thanks for reading!


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